2015-12-31

I bought this calendar over a year ago from Macs and never got around to showing off the art. Now that the new Youkai Watch movie* is the #1 hit in Japan (take that, Star Wars!!), it's time to showcase the last calendar before I go buy the 2016 version.

I'm going to show my favourite pieces now before I get to the rest of the calendar...

Some papier-mâché art from my students.

*By the way America, now that Youkai Watch has arrived stateside, do you think you could get the stick out of your collective rumps and not censor a kids' movie?

2015-12-30

Up until 12:00 am. on Christmas Eve, I'm all about Santathough once the clock strikes midnight, it's my birthday and let the revelry begin. I started the evening at Suu's bar,Dragon Diner. I brought along a bottle of Sake, that I couldn't drink during Halloween due to incarceration convalescence in the hospital, and shared it with his patrons.

Once the first wave of guests left, another visitor came in and bought me a shot of tequila. Fortunately, I had no ill effects as a result.

As 2 am rolled around, I bade farewell to Suu and wandered over toErnies.

He and I were the only two in the place and drank for another two hours. By 4 am., it didn't seem as though anyone else would show, so we called it a night.

Much to my surprise, Santa-Ern gifted me some pastries for breakfast and a pair of Burberry socks. It wouldn't be Christmas without getting a pair of socks!

After a few hours sleep, I got up and opened the only presents that I'd received this season, apart from the loot I'd purchased for myself, such as this book.

Thanks to my gal-pal, with whom I'd seen SWep7TFA earlier in the week, I received a cornucopia of items. For Christmas, I got a necktie ...

and a mini Totoro made out of rose quartz!

The rest of the goodies were all birthday prezzies!

Such as this set of 5 R2-unit magnets(above) and a poster magnet (below).

I popped over to IKEA to see Yvonne who had to work on X-mas and consumed a holiday meat plate that included All-you-can-eat meatballs. I think Jesus would approve.

After that, it was off to the cinema to see SWep7TFA for the second time, only this time in 4D! It's rather a wacky experience, you pay about 10 bucks more the 4D and then another 4 bucks for the 3D and then strap yourself in (figuratively) for the ride. Your chair jostles back and forth, up and down to the rhythm of the onscreen action and periodically, you get a jolt in your back when shot or stabbed! Also you may get a blast of air and dry ice during a lazer-fight or a spray of water in the face when appropriate.

Before the movie, my companion Michael (a fellow Santa) and I played the aforementioned *Darth game. Taking turns stabbing the barrel with light sabres, to the accompaniment of sounds, music or voices from SW, eventually Darth Vader pops up.

Here is a little video of our game. Apologies for the noisy background and kudos to the vocal renderings of my opponent.

The movie was just as good the second time around and the jostling of the chairs added to its appeal. Because it wasn't IMAX, I didn't feel that the 3D was worth it, though the 4D was.

Full moon over the cinema.

I picked up a pair of light-up light sabre chopsticks as a birthday present to myself and tried them out on some SW Cup Noodles the following day.

2015-12-28

I took a week off from blogging and now have some catching up to do. Here are the highlights of my Santa gigs over the last few weeks.

Since the beginning of December, I've had more Santa gigs this year than in previous years. First was my annual appearance with the gang at Tohoku Denki (Electric) Friends of Canada party. The only difference this year was the addition of a few more Canucks than usual, including the Ambassador of Canada with whom we had drinks with later. Hobnobbing at its best.

There was a trio of a Classical pianist, violinist, and singer and the vocalist performed Oh Canada and a few carols.

Some of the Canucks meeting both Santa and Black Santa (he's SO evil).

Best part of the evening (apart from the presents) was meeting the Canadian Ambassador to Japan, Mackenzie Clugston and having a few drinks with him in a nijikai (second party.)

I couldn't drink much for I had an all-day Santa affair with some Day Care kids the following morning. I decided to go au naturel using my actual beard rather than the phony one.

The wee laddies and lassies had no idea I wasn't the real thing.

Over the following two Saturdays, I did four more Day Cares courtesy of Carl (Julian) and his gang.

A very happy Santa!

I also had another all-day gig at Sendai station working with NTT and paired up with a dozen models flogging phones.

It was a well-paid gig, too bad they didn't spend much on the costume. Next time I bring my own.

Alas, no pics of the models, except for one big blue one.

It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't make an appearance at Ernies Bar...

Finally, I had my annual performance at the Royal Park Hotel getting my photo taken with a ton of kiddies. Too bad it's not as popular an event as in the past and I only greeted two dinners worth of families instead of 3 or 4.

The photographer's assistant above and my two helpers below each received on of the above little UFO caught treats.

A nice way to top off the night was viewing the first full moon on a Christmas day in 38 years (the last time was when Star Wars first premiered.

About Me

I was born a young white child. After almost 20 years of depressing social work, dealing with all manners of society's dregs, I decided to chuck it all and move to Japan and teach English. Now I'm a happy camper teaching Elementary School kids in Watari, Miyagi.